Midhat Pasha, the new Grand Vizier over whom all the
"friends of Turkey" sang such a hymn about three months ago, has already fallen, and is to be replaced by Mahmoud Pasha, the rival he superseded. We hardly expected our prophecy to come true so soon, but Midhat did not know the secret of his position. He did not make himself acceptable to the only real power in Turkey, the moody, capricious, proud volup- tuary who represents the House of Othman and wields the magi- cal power of the Kaliphate, and a frown has destroyed him. The German papers say the occasion of his fall was a Russian intrigue. The Levantinea say he was hated in the Seraglio. Both state- ments may be true, but, as we believe, it is truer still that Mahmoud has contrived to re-excite a hope in his master's mind that the succession may still be changed. If the "eldest male," whoever he is, will consult his horoscope, he will find that the stars about Christmas are highly unpropitious.
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